FAQ

Membership is connected to your property or properties in Wahmeda.  The owners of property, whether an individual or a family group, pay the annual dues per home or lot owned (currently $250/year). Those owners who have paid their dues prior to the start of the new fiscal year (July 1) are eligible for one vote per home or lot at the Annual Meeting and other special meetings as called.  

Our roads are private and the right to their use is owned in common by all owners.  The township does not maintain our roads—that responsibility rests with the Association.  A portion of our annual owners’ assessment is allocated for road repair, upkeep and reserve.  Major road decisions are voted on by the membership with the goal of keeping all roads safe and accessible to first responders.

During winter months, roads have been plowed by a local company R&R which the Association hires.  R&R  will plow every time it snows.  R&R is only contracted to plow the roads.  Any resident wanting their driveway, walkways etc. plowed would need to pay an additional fee. Our community pays $930 including tax and fuel charges for seasonal snow removal.  When salt is needed on our roads, there is an additional fee.  When the snow accumulates and needs to be removed with a backhoe, as was needed last year, there is also an additional fee.  Last year was $250.00 to bring a backhoe in for this purpose.

 

While there are only a few full time residents, plowed roads are essential.  Emergency vehicles need ready access and our mortgage and insurance companies also require access by fire emergency vehicles all year round, regardless of whether we are there or not.  Access to homes in winter is typically arranged in advance with the plow crews or other private service and is paid for by individual owners.  Please contact the Association President for the contact information of our plow contractor if you need to arrange special access.

• Keep speeds low (12 mph)
• Obey one-way street designations 
• Obey stop signs
• Be aware that children and pets may always be present
• Remind guests and renters about these rules

Parking can pose a challenge in Wahmeda as many residences do not have driveways or space on their own property to park vehicles.  In addition, our paved roads are narrow though the actual road right of way is 30' wide.  It is common and accepted that residents without driveways use some of Wahmeda's rights of way to park.  When deciding where to direct guests to park, consideration for our neighbors and the need for public access of emergency vehicles should always be considered.  Residents and guests should never park on another owner's land without permission.

The lakefront is here for all Wahmeda residents and their guests to enjoy.  Its communal history dates back to the 1897 design for the community and includes land extending up from the lake.  All Wahmeda residents have a right to the use and enjoyment of our lakefront for docking, boating, swimming, fishing and strolling.

The Association owns and maintains a community dock at the foot of Concord Avenue for use by homeowners current on their dues. Currently, the community dock is not set up with any boat slips.  All other docks are owned and maintained by those property owners who have typically been in Wahmeda the longest.  Every resident of Wahmeda, not just those on the waterfront, has a legal right to lake access and yet we must understand that the bay cannot accommodate docks for every household.  The Association continues to encourage the development of community wide solutions as newcomers with boats seek to enjoy their rights.  We are pleased to say that most of the privately owned docks are now shared by multiple residents.  We need to continue this sharing of costs and access to reduce congestion in our bay.  Every current dock owner needs to ensure that they are not only protecting their own access but also thinking of the good of the whole community and the lake itself.

 

If you need a boat slip, please contact the President, to get a list of those dock owners who may be open to sharing. Also know that mooring your boat in the bay is always an option. 

Kayaks and canoes, not stored by private docks, should be stored on the wooden racks provided by the Association by the community dock. Please do not leave your kayaks or canoes on the ground by the community dock and please ensure that your boats are labelled with your names.  Thank you!

All dogs must be kept under direct control of their owner at all times in accordance with the Town of Chautauqua laws. 

 

When you walk your dogs, please be sure to pick up any waste and discard in your own trash cans.  Please do not let your dogs run free on other people's property unless they have given you permission to do so.  Thank you!

Most residents sign up with Casella for garbage and recycling pick up.  They will deliver two large containers to your property and explain their pick up schedule. 

 

Some residents also use the Mayville Transfer Station to drop off their own garbage and recycling on Fridays and Saturdays.  If you choose this option, you will need to purchase the blue trash bags they use.  You will also need to do your own sorting, which some of us, oddly enough, find enjoyable.

No property owner shall allow an undue and/or offensive amount of refuse, garbage, or debris to accumulate on the owner's property.  Property owners are required to provide for the removal and disposal of all garbage and debris from their property, including branches and other yard waste.  Hire a service, create your own compost pile, or take your large items to the Sherman Transfer Station.  Do not dump anything on property that is not your own.  Thank you!

Many of the residents on the lake shore north of Chautauqua walk or bike across our Alleghany Road to reach what we call the Elm Gate path.  This path is owned by the Institution (CI) and we work with CI to ensure that it is maintained for easy, safe passage.  During the CI season, you must have gate passes or other tickets to use the Elm Gate entrance.  Off-season, the Elm Gate is open to cars and pedestrians from 6am to 6pm.

 

There is also a passageway to the Elm Gate pathway maintained by Wahmeda volunteers.   It begins at the south end of Pittsburg and goes up to the Elm Gate pathway between the chain-link fence and a large row of hedges.